s heels,
urging him to make haste.

"If they come too close," thought the young man, "we can dodge among
the trees again and pick our way back to the river as best we
can--helloa! what's that?"

Well might he ask himself the question, for the whizz of something
close to his ear left no doubt that one of their pursuers had hurled a
poisoned javelin at them.

An instant after he heard a faint but peculiar noise which he could not
describe nor identify. Johnston at the same instant uttered a
suppressed exclamation, not intended for his ears, and he called out in
a recklessly loud voice,

"Into the woods, quick!"

Ashman did not hesitate, but darted to his right, halting after a
couple of steps, through fear of betraying himself.

"Where are you?" asked Johnston, speaking more guardedly.

His groping hand touched Ashman, who seized it and silently drew him
forward, neither speaking again.

Even in that trying moment, the younger was impressed by the
singularity of his friend's actions, though there was no opportunity to
ask an explanation.

The savages could be plainly heard, as they hurried past, evidently
believing they would overtake the fugitives the next minute and certain
of locating them, wherever they might be.

Sure enough, they had not gone fifty feet, when they detected the trick
and turned about to catch the whites before they could steal any
distance from the trail.

"We must leave," said Ashman; "we are too close to the path, and they
are sure to find us."

Johnston made no answer, and, instead of following him, sank heavily to
the ground, with a groan.

"Great heaven! what is the matter, Aaron?" gasped his friend.

"I'm done for," was the feeble reply; "never mind me:
look--out--for--for--good-bye!"

Struck almost dumb by an awful fear, Fred forgot the natives for the
time and stooped over his friend. It was as he suspected; the poor
fellow had been struck full in the back by one of the poisoned
javelins. The exclamation which he uttered at the moment of receiving
the wound was that which puzzled Ashman. The sailor had withdrawn the
weapon, and the wound bled but little. The young man, however,
identified it on the instant.

"Aaron, rouse up!" he called, shaking his shoulder; "fight off your
drowsiness!"

He suddenly ceased, for at that moment, he realized that his companion
was dead. Thus fearfully did the virus do its work.

Before Ashman, could do more than rally from his sh